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Sunday, September 24, 2017

About "The Orville"

If you haven't heard, The Orville is Seth MacFarlane's alternative to "Star Trek".

Spoiler Alert:In my discussion here, I'm going to discuss details. This means spoilers. If you think such things "ruin the surprise", then you somewhere else. Don't read this. I'm also going to not only discuss the show itself, but also what other people have been saying about it, so if your sensibilities are fragile, don't read this. This is not a safe space. Seriously, go away. Or don't.

If you haven't seen the show already, I suggest you do, as my critique assumes that you have. Here's a link.

Let's start off by noting the elephant in the room... this show has got the critics scratching their heads. It has only a 20% rating from professional critics on RottenTomatoes, yet has an 88% approval rating from the actual viewers. That is to say, only 12% of the viewers agree with the critics. That's not a tiny discrepancy, and it's not explained as a matter of mere taste.

The number one officially admitted reason for such a poor critical showing is that the critics claim not to know "what the show wants to be". Is it a comedy? Is it action/adventure? Is it sci-fi? These same critics have no identity crisis at all when it comes to movies like Spider-Man: Homecoming (92%) and Guardians of the Galaxy (91%). I'm not claiming that "The Orville" is up to the level of these heavily funded blockbuster feature films. I'm simply pointing out that the critics have no problem identifying a lighthearted sci-fi action/adventure when they want to. I would go so far as to say, after due consideration, that this particular critique is a manufactured mask for more political and commercial concerns that the critics share among themselves.

As the product of a genre, The Orville has much in common with Galaxy Quest as well as the films I mentioned. On television, however, it's practically sui generis. And it's something for which television viewers have obviously been clamoring, as evidenced by that astonishing gulf between what the critics tell the viewers to think of it and what the viewers report of their own experience.

MacFarlane himself has never kept it a secret that what he wanted to do was produce Trek. And in particular, he wanted to ditch the dark and gritty, yet increasingly bland pablum that Trek had become, and go back to the utopian future that it depicted when Gene Roddenberry was at the helm.

The best of sci-fi is produced when ordinary people are placed in extraordinary circumstances. In this series, MacFarlane has taken the classic Star Trek format, given it a Next Generation look and feel, and populated it with people who would not be out of place in 2017. The wisecracks and social commentary, when they come, are grounded in the present, just as they were grounded in the 1960s in the original series.

That said, we've had three episodes to peruse so far. Let's take a look. The episode descriptions are taken from Wikipedia:

S01E01 - "Old Wounds". 25th-century space pilot Ed Mercer divorces his wife Kelly Grayson after he catches her cheating on him. A year later, he accepts a position as Captain of the U.S.S. Orville and finds to his dismay that his ex-wife Kelly will serve as his First Officer. During the Orville's first mission, the hostile alien Krill Captain (Joel Swetow) attempt to steal a device that can accelerate time, which has both beneficial and dangerous applications. Mercer and Grayson rig the device to destroy itself and the Krill vessel.

This is a straight-up action/adventure, the main purpose of which is to introduce the cast and set the stage for the series. It's what a pilot does. As with most pilots, it's practically assured that this will be the weakest of the episodes; as the crew's personalities and interpersonal relationships will be fleshed out during the course of the series. The awkwardness of Ed and Kelly's own relationship is played for laughs, although we do learn that despite the sniping, Ed has the maturity to recognize that he's not always right and that Kelly brings a wisdom to her position that makes him a better captain. In the end, professionalism overcomes bitterness and he asks her to stay on. We also learn that despite her infidelity, Kelly's feelings for Ed still smolder, and her regret for her actions is sincere. In all, that's a solidly good start for our two leads.

The bridge crew banters. But it's exactly the kind of banter that happens in my office today; and it's exactly the kind of banter that happened at my duty station in the Air Force. I totally buy into the rapport between Gordon and John (the helmsman and navigator).

Some of the jokes fall flat. Sometimes it's the joke and sometimes it's just the timing. Examples: Ed should never have introduced Kelly as "my ex-wife" to the research facility director. That was just unprofessional, and didn't ring true. The bit about Gordon wanting to wear shorts on the bridge... well, that would definitely work better if it weren't delivered in the middle of a crisis. First rule of workplace comedy is "mission first". Once you're out of crisis, then make the silly demand.

S01E02 - "Command Performance". The technologically advanced Calivon imprison Ed and Kelly in a replica of their former home as a zoo exhibit. Alara is left in command of the Orville as Bortus has laid an egg and must incubate it. Alara is unsure of herself, but gains confidence with the help of Claire's mentorship. Ed and Kelly wonder if they could have made their relationship work, but finally conclude that they were never compatible for a long-term romantic relationship, despite their strong camaraderie. Admiral Tucker orders Alara to return to Earth instead of approaching the powerful Calivon; Alara violates these orders and rescues Ed, Kelly, and an alien child by trading an archive of Earth's reality television for them. Ed presents Alara with a medal of honor and believes he and Kelly can prevent her from being punished for insubordination. A female offspring hatches from Bortus's egg, stunning him and Klyden as all Moclans are male.

Just as the pilot established the series leads, this episode establishes the secondary characters. Of these, Penny Johnson Jerald as Dr. Claire Finn shines. She completely owns the "experienced older officer" role she said she wanted to fill back in Episode 1.

What was refreshing to me here was that there was no administrative incompetence in evidence. Admiral Tucker issues the right order. Alara's decision to follow orders was the right decision. Her subsequent decision to disobey those same orders was likewise the right decision. And Dr. Finn points out what everyone who's ever been in a position of command already knows: there are no wrong decisions. You issue the best commands possible given the information at your disposal, accounting for the risks you can identify; and you must then be willing to accept the consequences of those choices. This one episode was a crash course in command, and it was a damned good one.

Alara's decision to disobey flag orders gives us a classic "feel good moment", while avoiding a good bit of cliche by way of her delivery. "They can bite me," is a refreshing change from the Trek standby of having Spock/Data/whoever say "To hell with the orders". And I completely buy the Chief Engineer. Older guy, tons of experience, who occasionally has to be reminded that it's not really his ship. Hell, sometimes I am that guy.

The final solution to the problem doubled as the Big Joke and tripled as biting social commentary. Alara quips, "They wanted an Earth zoo. I gave them one," referring to the vast archive of 21st century reality TV she donated to the Calivons. And man is it a zoo. So after the first episode of goofy action, we move to a bit of softball social commentary. This one is easy... "ha, ha... look, rich housewives arguing!" But make no mistake... you're being led into deeper waters.

At first it appears that Bortus' egg is merely deus ex machina to get him out of the way and put young Alara in charge. This turns into the central plot point of the third episode.

S01E03 - "About a Girl". Bortus and Klyden intend to have their child surgically "corrected" to be male, which is standard practice for Moclans when a female is born. Claire and Ed object to performing a sex change on a healthy infant, so Bortus and Klyden plan to have the procedure performed on a Moclan vessel. Gordon and John change Bortus's mind by showing him Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but Klyden still wants to proceed, revealing that he was born female. The case is arbitrated on the Moclan planet, Moclus, where Kelly represents Bortus; she casts doubt on the idea of male superiority by demonstrating that Alara is physically strong and Gordon is stupid. Ed locates a female Moclan of advanced years, Heveena, who testifies that she lived a happy and fulfilling life in seclusion, and reveals that under the pseudonym "Gondus Elden" she has become the Moclans' most respected writer. But Klyden and the tribunal are unconvinced, and the baby undergoes the surgery. Despite their disagreement, Bortus and Klyden are committed to each other and to giving their son, Topa, a good life.

Now we've gone from an introduction to our leads to a focus on the supporting cast. This third episode throws a spotlight on our remaining main character, the Moclan, Bortus. For this one, there's possibly more to discuss about reactions to the episode than to the episode itself. I think the episode is very straightforward social commentary. What makes it better than people think it is, is that close examination leaves you wondering what point the show is making. And that in itself is the point.

I have heard it said that MacFarlane confuses the basic concepts of gender identity in this episode. He does no such thing. To the characters involved -- the Moclans -- there literally is no distinction between gender and sex. They are, to a man, homosexual males. That is, they are egg-laying individuals who identify as males, which calls into question whether it's the critics who are confused as to whether gender identity is addressed in this show. The child is not simply being given a sex change: it is also having its gender identity decided for it as well. This is driven home by the revelation that Klyden was born female, but identifies strictly as male. Both "gender" and "sex" equally and interchangeably apply, without having to stop and sjw-splain the difference between gender and sex to people who have neither time nor patience for that in a one-hour episode of entertainment. It's precisely because there are people who would insist on hijacking the storytelling for the five episodes or so it would take to "explore the modern realities of life" that we have here a fictional species specifically designed to curtail those sort of red herrings. It's a simplification; but it not only needs to be done; it's straight out of the Star Trek Writers/Directors Guide, just as I mentioned in my last post. MacFarlane is completely on point.

I've also heard it said that this script is somehow "homophobic". At no point in the episode is that in evidence. The Moclans are homosexual. And at no time is it indicated that this is a bad thing. Bortus and Klyden love each other. They have a healthy marriage. They also have important disagreements, and do not appear to be stereotyped in any way that isn't reflected in the actual daily lives of the married gay men I know. What the Union crew argue against is not that... it's enforced conformity. Their position is clearly that you should choose your own path to happiness, whatever that might be. Again, this is a literal page out of Roddenberry's book, and although I closed my last post with this quote, I'll quote it again:

The whole show was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but to take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in lifeforms. We tried to say that the worst possible thing that can happen to all of us is for the future to somehow press us into a common mold where we begin to act and talk and look and think alike. If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences -- take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind here on this planet -- then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that's almost certainly out there.

-- Gene Roddenberry

This is a decidedly progressive outlook, and I'm using "progressive" in a positive rather than merely dogmatic sense. The crew of The Orville cry out against conformity, and in this particular instance, they lose... as one tends to do when one is opposed by an overwhelming majority. Their only response can be to make the best of it, and they go about doing just that. You should be uncomfortable with this episode. You're not intended to like the outcome for the child no matter who you are. And you have to look for the pearl... when Bortus says at the end, "we must give him a good life, whoever he becomes," you know he means it. He would have readily said it of his daughter.

It's easy to overlook, in all the noise about gender identity, that the show is making a statement about women's rights and capabilities as well. I'm not talking about using Alana to demonstrate physical strength... that's ham-fisted and easily refuted. The better case is not made by Heveena, either. Having the one woman they could find (on a hunch!) being the equivalent of Shakespeare is far too convenient. I know they've got limited time, but still.... The better case would have been made by pointing out the fact that Kelly acted as legal counsel on this all-male world and nobody made so much as a peep about her intellectual qualifications; as well as by the fact that among Moclans, gender differences are slight enough that transgendered males don't even know they're transgendered. (That's not so farfetched either. It never crossed my mind that circumcision made me physically different until I was almost out of high school. I just never bothered to compare my junk to other guys'.)

The voices that I've heard object to this episode can't really effectively make cast labels without undermining their own real world position. And those who support conformity in this episode find themselves rooting for the gays. There are two extremes of negative reactions, and yet there is a trap for both. Fiction is not necessarily advocacy, and folks would do well to recognize that simple reality. Social commentary in science fiction is there to invite you to think... it is not there to tell you what to think. The fact that we have in this episode a commentary that makes diametrically opposed people do synchronized double-takes delights me no end.

The comedic moments are still there, suitably dialed back for the subject matter. The bit about using Ruldolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to instruct Bortus in diversity and acceptance was inspired.

Other Stuff:

Production values and special effects: I've got no complaints at all. It's a TV show, so it's going to have a limited budget. With that budget they've managed to construct spacious, futuristic sets and deliver competent CGI as well as model work! (Nobody shoots with models any more. The fact that they took the time is just astonishing). People have complained about the CGI... those people need to suck it up. Hell, Rogue One couldn't deliver a convincing CG Carrie Fisher with a megabudget. I'm still not a fan of the swoopy engines, but the forward 2/3 of The Orville looks amazing.

Costumes and makeup: DAY-um! Full body appliances for Bortus, a healthy sampling of other races among the crew... this thing has shots in it that are keeping the makeup artists on their toes. And they are up to the challenge. Likewise with the costumes. The uniforms look livable. They look convincing as uniforms. They're practical. They have pockets. The same with the civilian clothing. This stuff looks like clothing that people would actually choose to wear of their own volition.

Technology: The Union lacks Transporters, and I, for one, couldn't be happier. The only reason for them in the first place was to compensate for a lack of budget in the original Star Trek. A little back-lit glitter in a fish tank, a fade, and bam! You're on the planet, without expensive model-work. There's no need for that here, so good riddance. The one thing I wish they did have, since shuttles are so important, is dedicated shuttle pilots. This would take the place of the Transporter Chief, and would also be in charge of shuttle maintenance. They don't have it, but it would have been nice.

The replicators are still there, which I'm ambivalent about, but at least it could be argued an extension of the 3D printers we currently have. So far they're keeping the technobabble to a minimum, and I like that, too. The phrase "particle of the week" originated with ST:TNG, and not as a compliment. Treknobabble should be used both sparsely and consistently. Using what you have is far more clever than producing unobtainium ex nihilo.

I wish I knew what Yaphit's job on the ship is.

--==//oOO\\==--

I said I would give this series a few episodes to find its feet... after all, Star Trek: The Next Generation sucked giant eggs for the first season. But three episodes in, I not only observe that The Orville is finding its feet very quickly; I see a pattern of progression that shows me it's going in the right direction.

3 comments:

I agree. the show's reflections, not only into the world we inhabit, but also the stories that came before it, are well done. It isn't perfect that's ok. It doesn't have to be to be enjoyable. The first episode blew me away with how much it felt like what the show for Galaxy Quest might have been like instead of the fourth wall look they gave us in the movie (if you understand the direction I am going here).

Mind you, I am leery as well. We will find enjoyment in the show for the shows sake and they will get rid of it. They seem to love to take away the toys we want to play with. (by they I refer to the collective they, those who cancel shows before their time)